I have been home sick for the past 2 days. I have only taken 1 sick day prior to this in 4 years. That just goes to show you how crummy I feel. After 24 hours in the house, sitting on the couch, drinking water like it’s going out of style… I found the DVD’s my family gave me for Christmas this year. They surprised me by putting all of our home movies onto DVD’s so my brother and I could watch them any time we want to. Not wanting to put my husband through the torture of my awkward years (ages 10-14) I put them in a cabinet under the TV and didn’t think of them for a few weeks… until now!

In hopes of curbing my boredom, I popped disc one into my computer and snuggled in for a trip down memory lane. Starting in 1995, I watched Christmas’, Easter’s, backyard birthday parties, summer morning T-Ball, soccer games, and lazy days around the house. I heard my mom cheering me on as I scored a goal at 10 years old, watched my dad wave a flag when the ball went out of bounds, laughed along with my 5th grade friends as we danced around at my birthday party, and saw how truly joyful every moment of my life that was caught on camera truly was. It was captivating. I couldn’t stop watching my little brother play in the dirt during his T-ball game at 5 years old. Man, the 90’s rocked.

Despite everything, do you know what really caught my attention? How present and engaged everyone was at each event. In the 90’s, nobody talked on a cell phone during a choir concert at school, nobody sat in the corner and texted as their child opened birthday gifts, nobody texted during a friend’s party, and nobody missed their child scoring a goal because they were checking Facebook on their phone. Everyone was present. Involved. Together.

I almost long for those years again. The simplicity of it all. My parents threw a Halloween party for my friends and I in 5th grade. Do you know where it was held? No, not at the Hilton. I had no celebrity performer and no trapeze performance. It was in our garage! Black and orange streamers covered the ceiling, plastic tablecloths with witches covered borrowed picnic tables. My mom had several party games planned involving toothpicks, lifesavers, toilet paper rolls, and plastic spoons. My little brother roamed around with us wanting to be a part of the fun and you know what? We let him! He danced to the sweet sounds of “The Macerena” with us and even got wrapped up by my friend for the mummy contest! There was no rivalry, harsh language, slutty costumes, or fighting. It was just pure joy.

When mom brought my brother and I to the first day of school (he was in 1st grade and I was in 6th) she caught the 90’s in their full glory. Girls ran around in long jean shorts (OK, maybe a little too long for my taste, but no buttcheeks were hanging out at our elementary school!) Our hair was done in a simple pony tail with a scrunchy. We were kids. Just kids. Making faces at the camera, smiling from ear to ear, putting our arms around each other with excitement over being the oldest at school this year! Our only complaint caught on camera? “One recess this year mom, just ONE!” Nobody complained about a dead cell phone battery, nobody bragged that their cell phone was faster or better than yours, and the girls weren’t concerned about their weight. We just wanted to have fun!

The 90’s were awesome, I just didn’t realize it until today. Following hours, literally hours of home video footage from 1995 on (thanks mom and dad!) I can finally see just how good we had it. I was blissfully unaware of everything around me that made the 90’s so nifty. My family, my friends, The Macerena, TGIF, and simplicity. Now, I can only hope to give my own children half of the childhood that my parents gave me in the 90’s. Hopefully my future children will look back someday and say, “Wow, the 2020’s were the best!”